In the Rockies today, British Columbia becomes the first Canadian province to levy a tax on greenhouse-gas emissions; a water dispute between two Western states heads to the U.S. Supreme Court; and an Idaho resort seeks bankruptcy protection.
British Columbia's $10-per-ton tax, low by global standards, is part of a package of incentives and taxes developed to reduce the province's carbon footprint.
The package also contains a $100-per-person dividend meant to soften the sting of the carbon tax that will take effect July 1.
Montana's dispute with Wyoming about water levels in the Tongue and Powder rivers will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, although Wyoming officials said they'll ask the high court to dismiss the case without a hearing.
And in Idaho, Tamarack Resorts officials sought bankruptcy protection to avoid foreclosure by creditor Credit Suisse, after Tamarack was unable to get a loan from a French bank that recently reported $7 billion in losses from a trading scandal.
Rockies today
U.S. high court will take Montana-Wyoming water dispute
Montana's dispute with Wyoming over water in the Tongue and Powder rivers will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Billings Gazette; Feb. 20
Parties to Colorado Village at Wolf Creek lawsuit reach an accord
The details of the settlement of the lawsuit brought by Durango-based environmental group Colorado Wild and the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council against the U.S. Forest Service and the developers of the proposed Village at Wolf Creek will be released later today.
Durango Herald; Feb. 20
Idaho resort files for bankruptcy protection
Tamarack Resort CEO Jean-Pierre Boespflug said the filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection will have no effect on the day-to-day operations of the resort in west-central Idaho, and said that the filing was prompted when a $118-million loan the resort was planning on from a French bank recently rocked by a $7-billion trading scandal fell through.
NewWest.net; Feb. 20
B.C. rolls out North America's first full-fledged carbon tax
British Columbia's $37.7-billion budget contains a tax on virtually all fossil fuels, provides a $100 "climate-change dividend" for each person to temper the financial blow of the carbon tax, and also provides income-tax cuts.
Toronto Globe and Mail; Feb. 20
Wildlife officials confirm destructive mussel made its way into Colorado
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has been anticipating that zebra mussels would make their way into the state since 2004, when the destructive mussels were found in Lake Powell, and now that the invasive species has been found in Lake Pueblo, the state may soon require inspections of boats to stop the spread of the mussel.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; Feb. 20
Nevada senator touts state's role in renewable energy
The Renewable Energy World Conference kicked off this week in Las Vegas, with Nevada Sen. Harry Reid urging the federal government to open public lands for renewable energy projects and to extend tax credits for renewable-energy projects.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; Feb. 20
U.S. EPA throws its 2 cents in on Colorado roadless plan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it's concerned about the U.S. Forest Service's proposal to allow logging in some of the state's 4.1 million acres of roadless lands to prevent wildfires and stop the spread of pine bark beetle infestations.
Aspen Times (AP); Feb. 20
Opinion
States must say 'no' to nuclear power until waste issue is resolved
Nuclear power is garnering new attention as concerns about greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants increase, but until the government comes up with a plan to handle the approximately 20 tons of new nuclear waste each plant generates a year, no new nuclear power plants should be allowed.
Idaho Mountain Express; Feb. 20
Public-lands bill no place for park pistol-packing amendment
Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn is threatening to hold an important public-lands bill hostage unless it contains his amendment to allow visitors to national parks and wildlife refuges to pack live firearms, a measure that should be taken under consideration by the Interior Department with plenty of public comment rather than tucked into federal legislation that circumvents public participation.
New York Times; Feb. 20
Montanans should pay the price of protecting their slice of paradise
An interim committee of Montana lawmakers is gathering information to develop strategies to cover the increasingly higher cost of fighting wildfires in the state, and one of the easiest, best ways to curtail wildfire fighting costs is to make homeowners who build their homes deep in the woods responsible for clearing the spaces around their homes and using fire-resistant construction materials.
Great Falls Tribune; Feb. 20
Beyond the region
Delta-Northwest merger could open door to others
The merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest could be one of the most transforming deals in the airline industry. An analysis.
The Economist.com; Feb. 19
Oil closes above $100 a barrel for the first time
For the first time in history, oil prices closed at $100 a barrel on Tuesday, with political unrest in Nigeria, an explosion Monday at a Texas oil refinery and the weakened dollar, the basis of oil pricing across the globe, all contributing to the price surge.
USA Today; Feb. 20
North American miners take a shine to Mexico
With the price of gold topping $900 an ounce, employees of mining companies in the United States and Canada and leaving their jobs and starting their own enterprises, driving down to Mexico, which is fast becoming one of the most attractive companies for mining.
New York Times; Feb. 20
Congress considers changes in how U.S. gets its beef
Following the lead of some leading restaurants and fast-food chains, the U.S. House is considering legislation that would require the federal government buy its meat and eggs from producers that reduce animal suffering.
Christian Science Monitor; Feb. 20
Washington hands McCain a victory; Dems' race still too close to call
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain won primary contests in both Washington and Wisconsin on Tuesday, but the contest in Washington between Democratic presidential contenders Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama was still too close to call.
Seattle Times; Feb. 20
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